Block 85

This block is a very famous block, especially for people staying in the East. Or at least for me, it used to hold my secondary school memories. Thus when my ex-classmate suggested meeting there for dinner, my first thought was “Wow, I haven’t been there for ages!”

If he wasn’t going to be posted to Melbourne for a year, I guess I wouldn’t have gone back to Blk 85. I still remember he was one of the first few classmates I know in my Master class. And naturally we did project together. Because he stays near my area, we took transport home together a few times. He had visions that time. He is someone willing to keep improving his job and life. He is someone who believes in early marriage and having a child young. And he is someone who is quite proud of his life haha. Because he knew this course will not help him in his future life, he promptly quit school. And I have not seen him for a year even though we stayed like 2 streets away.

Then another classmate told me that this guy is leaving soon. So we decided to meet at Blk 85 for dinner. When I passed by there, even though it was dark already, I could vividly see the 1000 plus steps. The steps I used to climb down to catch my bus home. The steps I used to walk down with a friend in my first 2 years where we talk anything under the sun. I wonder how she is. The steps I used to run down in my last 2 years. Sometimes my then good friend managed to catch hold of me. And he will always ask me why the rush. I’m not sure too. Oh and the bus stop where I used to wait for my bus. And if luck has it, I would be able to catch a handsome guy. Those were the days.

Anyway I found out shocking news last night. I was telling my ex-classmate that my school is up the hill. Then the other guy heard it and was saying his school too. And we both realized we were referring to the same school. Gosh, to think I had been his classmate for a year, I never knew he was my senior whom I never met hahaha. Must be we rarely talk in school due to the hectic school hours.

Then we spend time talking about the old building and the new building. He belonged to the batch that did the fundraising for the new building, moved the furniture but never got a chance to study there. I belonged to the lucky batch that immediately got to use the new building without the need to help out at all. In fact, for my case, I had to stay in the new building for 3 years because when I was secondary 3, the old building did not have enough rooms for the Sec 3 and they decided to place my class in the new building. Pretty odd I would say; which is part of the reason why I bond with my juniors more than with my batch people.

We also realized we both move on to the same JC. He is really my senior whom I never met manz! And twice! Funny thing is all these while I always wondered why my school gave me the yearbook in my first year when my batch is not inside yet. Now I know why, so that I get the chance to see this senior haha. And I must say he never change…. Wonder how he did it.

But he is not the only “thing” that never changed. Blk 85 did not change much too. The stalls seem to be the same still. The food is still fabulous. The coffee shops around are still there. The photo centre shop is still in the centre of the path. The furniture shop is still at the same spot. I did saw a new hair saloon though. And my senior(x2) told me most of the shops at another area have changed. But I did not get to see that portion.

It has been almost 10 years, the scene may not have changed, but the people have aged…